Steak Salad (HFC)

When you think of a steak dinner, you usually think "SPLURGE."

Whether you are thinking it's a financial splurge or a calorie splurge, let's be honest, a steak dinner is usually eaten when you want to indulge. This is mostly because the stereotypical steak dinner is eaten at a fancy steakhouse, costs at least a C-note, and consists of steak, buttery sauce, and rich side dishes like creamed spinach and loaded baked potatoes. Though we justify the large bill and and calories because this type of steak dinner just TASTES. SO. GOOD.

But I asked myself, is there a way to have a delicious steak dinner without the guilt and huge price tag? The answer is YES! If you have a taste for a delicious steak but want to watch your calories, try this healthy, fast, and cheap (HFC) Steak Salad.

It's healthy because I use a lean cut of beef (flank steak has less than 10g of fat) and I don't add any oil or fat. I also eliminated the carbs in this meal and paired the steak with a delicious, colorful salad. Also this meal is done in 30 minutes; making it fast. Lastly, this recipe is cheap because flank steak is relatively inexpensive and so are the vegetables. (Plus you can use the leftover veggies in another dish, like an omelet!)

The only special tool you will need is a grill pan. They sell them relatively cheap and I think they are a "must have" kitchen tool for anyone looking to make healthy, fast, and cheap meals. The non-stick Calphalon is my favorite brand and you can check them out here.

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

1-1.5 lb flank steak

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Bag of Salad (I like mixed greens w/ carrots already in it)

Handful of Grape Tomatoes (halved)

1 small cucumber (sliced)

1/2 of small red bell pepper (diced)

1/4 cup red onion (diced)

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (thawed in the microwave)

1 avocado (diced)

Low-Fat Salad Dressing of Your Choice

Note: These are the salad toppings I like and the ones I felt matched the Mexican flavor of the steak, but feel free to omit the salad toppings you do not like and add the ones that you do.

Directions:

Remove the flank steak from the fridge, unwrap it, and place on a large plate. Then, in a little bowl, add the seasonings (chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder) and mix to combine. Then, rub half the seasoning mixture into one side of the steak, flip the steak over and rub the rest of the seasoning into the other side. Make sure you wash your hands and set the steak aside to come to room temperature while you fix the salad and heat the pan.

In a large salad bowl, empty the bag of salad greens. Then, halve your grape tomatoes, slice your cucumber and dice your red onion and red bell pepper. Add all of these things to the salad bowl. Next put your frozen corn kernels in a microwavable safe bowl and heat on high for approx. 4 minutes or until thawed, drain and add them to the salad bowl. (I found that heating the kernels kept them crunchier than defrosting them. But feel free to use your preferred method)

Next, heat the grill pan over high heat to grill the steak (Now would be a good time to turn your stove fan on as well). You want the grill pan to be screaming hot so as soon as you begin to see smoke, that's when you can put the steak on. For a medium steak (warm pink center) cook for 7 minutes on the 1st side and 6 minutes on the second then let the steak rest under tin foil for another 6-10 minutes. (Letting the steak rest is VERY important! All of the juices will run out of the steak if you cut right into it)

To serve, toss the greens with all of the salad toppings and divide the salad among 4 plates. Then dice the avocado and divide among the 4 plates as well. Top the salad with your favorite (light) salad dressing. Then on a large cutting board, thinly slice the steak at an angle. Divide it

into 4 portions and put it over the salad or to the side (your choice). Enjoy!